Beginners Surf Equipment

The best thing to do if you are an absolute beginner is borrow your gear if you have surfing mates or hire some gear. If you are a newcomer to surfing you want to forget about getting a nice little smart looking board, an expensive wetsuit and all the accessories and there are two good reasons why. Reason 1 is that you might not like surfing, and a new board and wetsuit are not cheap. Reason 2 is that the best board for a beginner is not small and sleek.

Big Surfboards Rule

The bigger the better - as big as you can carry - get the idea! You should be aiming for a board over 8' but preferably over 9'6''. If you can get a foamy then that is even better. (Check out Surfing Terms if you don't understand some terms being used throughout Surfing Waves), A big foam board will ensure that you can catch the waves easily and you will not get hurt as you spend your days falling off and onto your board. Size does matter!

We go into a little more information on our Surfboard For Beginners page. If you are looking to buy a surfboard then have a read of the Surfboard Buying Guide.

Good Wetsuits Rule

If you are keen and surfing is definately something that you are going to get well into then pick the best Wetsuit within your budget. Have a chat with local surfers to find out just what sort of suit you will need. If you are lucky you will not even have to get one, and instead you can buy yourself 20 pairs of boardshorts. If you will be surfing in cold water you will want to make your surf as comfortable as possible and a good wetsuit will ensure that you can stay in the water as long as the waves are good. Check out our Guide to buying a Wetsuit.

Other Equipment

So you have got the board and the wetsuit (if you need one) - what other equipment do you need? Well, the only other thing you really need is a surfboard leash, and if you do not know what one is we tell you on our surfing accessories page. Oh, and you will need some surf wax (unless your surfboard already has deck grip.

A lot of the other surfing equipment is almost optional, and not essential. Take a look around our surf shop to view the items that are available. The good thing about surfing is that once you have the initial equipment the rest is free - no green fees, court hire or any associated cost (ok maybe petrol to the beach!)